Cursive said it best: "We all know art is hard." Art and expression are hand in hand. They're dating, in fact. Don't worry, they practice safe sex and they seamlessly blend together to make wonderfully new and enthralling forms of visual, audio and/or imaginative bliss. But art and expression are also progressive; the process of expressing oneself through an art form is an active and ongoing process. Whether the artist has just finished his masterpiece painting, the director just picked up his first video camera, or the songwriter slammed into the infamous writer's block halfway through their latest song, there is always a "to be continued..." There will always more to express, and new ways to express; ergo, our artists must stay in top form to continue expressing themselves in the strongest way they possibly can.
But Thao Nguyen knows a thing or two about expression. "Feet Asleep is a tribute song for my mother," Thao says in an interview with imeem. "She owns a laundromat and drycleaner. Her hours are sick: about eight to eleven at night everyday for the past ten years.... The narrative perspective of 'Feet Asleep' is from her voice, saying things that she would never say. Y'know, complaining or acknowledging the difficulty and the hardship of it. Cause she never would, but in a way, I'm complaining for her.... But to make it less depressing, I made it a hootenanny."
Yes, Thao knows art and expression like the back or her hand. For this Virginia-bred singer-songwriter, creativity from her and her band, The Get Down Stay Down, have been flowing like a steady river since they formed. And they now have a shining beacon of expression under their belt with their latest release, We Brave Bee Stings And All. The album stands strong on all forms as a great expression of life, love, and family are combined into a steady, some dare say poppy, blend of contemporary folk rock that will certainly perk a fine listener's ears.
We Brave Bee Stings... launches straight into a blast of guitars, brass, and ukulele with "Beat (Health, Life and Fire)," introducing the expert poetic skills of Nguyen, the excellent production abilities of producer Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, Sufjan Stevens, Laura Veirs), and the musical talents of The Get Down Stay Down. And the album doesn't slow down there, following up with "Bag Of Hammers," "Big Kid Table," and many more excellently composed songs, all with a unique story to tell.
"I was a Sociology in Women's Studies major in college, and women's advocacy work - because of the way I grew up - I've always been interested. And so, 'Swimming Pools' is essentially about how women before me and women of my generation have to voluntarily and involuntarily sort of absorb everything that's out there," Nguyen says. "It's the idea that we can somehow absorb all of that before the little girls grow up."
"Geography" tells the tough story about cheaters with the almost completely antonymous, fun filled folk-pop juxtaposed along to the lyrics, while excellent songs like "Fear and Convenience" highlight Thao's amazing guitar playing while retaining that the progressiveness and honest pulse the entire album flies like a flag. We Brave Bee Stings... never slows down, consistently treating listeners to the beautiful country-tinged songs that only Thao and her posse can seem to produce.
We Brave Bee Stings And All offers an excellent set of songs that any avid music fan would love, especially if your in the mood for some contemporary folk with a flair. We Brave Bee Stings And All is currently available at fine retailers and online outlets as we speak. Expression and art both come in many forms, both requiring a great deal of experience to accomplish correctly. It seems quite apparent that this sophomore release proves that Thao with The Get Down Stay Down have all the experience in spades, and aren't about to hesitate in laying it on the table. The Big Kid Table, even.
No comments:
Post a Comment